European Rubber Journal articles from March 2003

European Rubber Journal archives from March 2003

Michelin to spend 188 million [euro] on Spanish plants: wheel making will stop, but truck tyre production will be boosted, giving a 12-percent rise in Spain's tyre output. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Michelin is set to inject to 188 million into its Spanish plants as part of restructuring to boost its tyre business in the peninsula, workers' committee chief Bernabe Haro told ERJ. Haro said the investment numbers were unveiled during a...

Ohji developing novel hose constructions: fluoropolymer linings, TPUs and glow-in-the dark products feature at Japanese hose maker. (Rubber news).(Ohji Rubber & Chemicals Co.)
March 1, 2003... Japanese rubber products maker Ohji Rubber & Chemicals Co. has invested $2 million to develop a corrosion- and heat-resistant industrial hose. The hose, called Neo Aladdin, consists of an low-friction ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) liner,...

Conti sets up Korean JV in truck airsprings: airsprings unit will gain Conti a share in the Asian market. (Rubber news).(ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH, Dae Won Kang Up Company Ltd. form ContiTech Dae Won Airspring Systems Company Ltd.)
March 1, 2003... ContiTech's airspring unit, ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH, has signed a joint venture agreement with South Korean OEM supplier Dae Won Kang Up Co. Ltd of Seoul to manufacture airsprings in Korea. The aim is to raise ContiTech's share of the...

GDX selling German mixing plant to Vigar: Spanish compounder to extend geographic coverage with acquisition of mixing unit from GDX Automotive. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... GDX Automotive, GenCorp Inc.'s automotive components unit, is selling the mixing unit at its manufacturing plant in Viersen, Germany, to Spanish custom compounder Vigar SA. The Spanish custom mixer already supplies compound to GDX...

Trelleborg aims to buy: sales down, profits up: more acquisitions are on the cards for Trelleborg, says president Fredrik Arp following a year of lower sales, but higher profits. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Swedish rubber processor Trelleborg Group is still looking for companies to buy: its strategy is to strengthen the group's positions via acquisition," said Fredrik Arp, president, in the organisation's end of year results statement. Arp...

Freudenberg-NOK, Ishino JV.(Ishino Gasket North America)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Plymouth, Michigan -- Freudenberg-NOK and Ishino Gasket have set up a 50/50 joint venture--Ishino Gasket North America--to make cylinder head and exhaust manifold gaskets in Plymouth, Michigan, starting in February 2003. The deal follows...

Dunlop Standard upbeat.(Dunlop Standard Aerospace Holdings Plc)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... London -- Dunlop Standard Aerospace Holdings plc is positive about the business' financial outlook, despite an adjustment of its long-term corporate credit rating by Standard & Poor's. "Dunlop Standard believes that our mix of aftermarket...

Gates drops "rubber" name.(Gates Rubber Co. changes name to Gates Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Denver, Colorado -- Gates Rubber Co., part of UK group Tomkins plc, is to use the name Gates Corp. in future, reflecting the view that Gates is more than a rubber company, the firm said. Gates has advanced into technology and manufacturing...

Four killed in West explosion.(West Pharmaceutical Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Kinston, North Carolina -- Four workers died at West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. and many others were injured following a 29 Jan explosion and fire at the firm's plant in Kinston. About 155 workers were present when the blaze erupted at...

Cooper optimistic for 2003--after tough H1: profits rise after restructuring in Cooper's automotive supply division. (Rubber news).(Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.)
March 1, 2003... Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.'s outlook is for, challenging operating conditions in our industries... to persist in the first half of 2003," according to Thomas Dattilo, Cooper chairman, president and chief executive officer. "But we are...

German medical goods units to be merged: major supplier in ventilation care anaesthesia, critical care formed. (Rubber news).(Dragerwerk AG, Siemens AG to form Drager Medical AG & Co. KgaA)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The medical products manufacturing unit of Dragerwerk AG is to merge with the Electromedical Systems Division of Siemens AG's Medical Solutions unit. The venture is aimed at utilising each firm's strengths to build a stronger global goods base....

Federal-Mogul readies reorganisation plan: asbestos claims at seal maker to be tackled by latest financial plan. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Federal-Mogul Corp. and its major US creditors have agreed a reorganisation plan with creditors and asbestos claimants, which it will submit to the US Bankruptcy Court in March. If the court approves the plan, the company could emerge from...

Blackstone acquires TRW unit.(TRW Automotive)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Brussels -- The European Commission has approved the acquisition by Blackstone Group of TRW Inc.'s automotive parts unit for almost $4730 million. The deal has already been approved by the US antitrust authorities. New York investment firm...

Matador invests to grow output, modernise plant: Slovak tyre maker aims for 6 million tyres by 2006, with $18 million investment. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Slovak tyre company Matador AS plans to invest over SlKr700 million ($18 million) in 2003. "Most of the money will go into increasing the overall output, modernising the production of car tyres, conveyor belts and curing moulds and expanding...

IISRP awards for Cheng, Maehara.(International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Houston, Texas -- A business executive from Taiwan and a scientist from Japan are to receive the two highest awards granted by the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Inc. (IISRP) for 2003 Dah-Chieh Otto Cheng, formerly...

Czech tyre production grows 15 percent: tyre sector is one of the most dynamic in Czech manufacturing. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Production of tyres--as well as of plastics components and TV sets--contributed to the Czech Republic's industrial year-on-year growth of 4.4 percent in November 2002, according to the country's statisticians. "Since the start of 2000, we...

Sales up for Federal Corp.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Taipei -- Taiwanese tyre maker Federal Corp. reported an 18.9-percent rise in sales last year, to $122 million, with overseas sales growing at a much higher rate Sales to markets outside Taiwan and China accounted for $69.2 million, up 28.7...

Wolverhampton plant to end tyre production?(Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Birmingham, UK -- Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK is considering ending tyre production at its Wolverhampton plant but continuing mixing, calendering and retreading operations at the closure-threatened facility. The company put forward the...

Michelin teams up with Hankook in Korea: French firm takes 10 percent stake in Korea's Hankook, to grow its stake in the vital Asian market. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Groupe Michelin will acquire a 10-percent interest in Hankook Tire Co. Ltd and bring it into the fold of its runflat tyre/wheel technology, as part of a new agreement between the two companies. The partnership--announced and signed 28 Jan...

Kumho expects sale of tyre unit by March.(Kumho Industrial Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Seoul -- The sale of Kumho Industrial Co.'s Kumho Tire unit could take place by the end of March to a group that includes the South Korean military pension fund and foreign investors, according to Kyu S. Cho, president of the company's US unit,...

European tyre sales advance during 2002.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Vitry-sur-Seine, France -- Markets for replacement tyres in Europe grew modestly during 2002, according to the SNCP (Syndicat National du Caoutchouc et des Polymeres). The exceptions were 4X4 vehicle tyre sales, which grew by 12.2 percent and...

Winter tyre tread uses rape-seed oil.(Nokian Tyres Plc)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Nokia, Finland -- Nokian Tyres plc's latest snow tyre, the Hakkapeliitta 4, has a tread rubber compound that contains rape-seed oil, which the company claims offers both environmental and performance advantages. Nokian is using the...

Alliance/US deal collapses. (Rubber news).(offer withdrawn for 51% stake in Alliance Tire Co. (1992) Ltd.)
March 1, 2003... A US investors' group led by a well-known retreading industry official has withdrawn its $50 million offer for 51 percent of the stock of Israeli tyre maker Alliance Tire Co. (1992) Ltd. The unstable Middle East situation, coupled with...

French law requires tyre, vehicle makers to recycle tyres.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Paris -- Tyre and vehicle manufacturers in France now are footing the bill for collecting and recycling used tyres because of a new law. The law--shifting the cost of recycling from dealerships and garages to the manufacturers--covers...

Michelin targets Africa and Middle East: tyre manufacturer restarts at Algiers plant as Michelin aims for larger share of developing market. (Rubber news).(forms Michelin Middle East)
March 1, 2003... Groupe Michelin's recent resumption of manufacturing in Algeria signals a wider ambition in Africa and the Middle East, according to Pierre Desmarets, the group's executive vice president and chief operating officer for these regions. ...

Goodyear needs new aggressive business plan: observers want details of how Goodyear will revitalise its business. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Mid-January workforce cuts made by Goodyear are a good beginning--but more is needed, according to analysts who follow the company. They suggested the need for a creative strategic plan, better marketing, greater innovation and more...

Tyre supply issue defeats UK renewables firm: tyre sector's inability to guarantee scrap tyre supply forces waste energy plant to look for alternative fuel source. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Energy Power Resources Ltd (EPRL) still plans to build a waste-to-energy plant at Four Ashes in England, but it will not be fuelled by scrap tyres, said a company executive. Late last year, the UK firm axed a $52-million project to build a...

Polimeri Europa UK uses Emerson control in SR plant.
March 1, 2003... Grangemouth, Scotland -- Synthetic rubber manufacturer Polimeri Europa UK has recently replaced the distributed control system in use at its Grangemouth plant with a modern system--PlantWeb digital plant architecture--from Emerson Process...

Japanese firm invests in niche elastomers.(Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK investing [yen] 500 million to triple production of its speciality elastomer Denka ER to 3000 tonnes per annum)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Frankfurt, Germany -- Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK (Denka) is investing [yen] 500 million ($4 million) to triple production of its speciality elastomer Denka ER to 3000 tonnes per annum. The company manufactures the ethylene vinyl acetate acrylic...

Cement firm installs scrap tyre handling system.(Lafarge Cement UK)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Westbury, UK -- Lafarge Cement UK's Westbury Works is now burning about 250 000 tyres a month after the installation of a 1.75-million [pounds sterling] ($2.6 million) automatic feeding unit for the site's two kilns, Lafarge announced 13 Jan....

EWI sells $10-million tyre pyrolysis plant to UK firm.(Environmental Waste International Inc)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Ajax, Ontario -- Environmental Waste International Inc has sold its first Reverse Polymerisation Tire Processing Plant to a private company in the UK for more than $10 million. The buyer plans to design and build a facility and install the...

DSM to compete in HNBR as group earnings grow: new HNBR process gives DSM high-tech offering for elastomer users. (Rubber news).(hydrogenated nitrile rubber)
March 1, 2003... DSM NV has entered the HNBR (hydrogenated nitrile rubber) sector, with a product tradenamed Thortan. The elastomer is based on new technology that substantially cuts the cost of HNBR production, according to the Dutch group. The first...

Dow Corning to buy Tyco materials unit: silicone rubber-based electronics products extend supplier's scope. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Dow Corning Corp. will acquire Tyco Electronics Power Materials business unit to broaden its product line and boost its share of the fabricated interface materials market. The purchase of the Power Materials unit--formerly known as...

Ciba sets up distributors for rubber additives: Swiss group operates as niche provider in rubber chemicals business. (Rubber news).
March 1, 2003... Ciba Specialty Chemicals has appointed SMPC SA (Specialites et Matieres Premieres du Caoutchouc) and Caldic Italia to distribute its rubber additives in France and Italy, respectively. The firms join Velox GmbH in Germany and UK firm...

Toyobo alliance advances foamed TPEs.(joins with with Youngbo Chemical Co. Ltd)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Osaka, Japan -- Japanese company Toyobo has reported progress with a plan to establish new markets for foam materials based on DSM Elastomers thermoplastic vulcanisate Sarlink as well as its own Pelprene polyester-based TPE. The plan is...

Crompton units make gains. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Crompton Corp.'s polymer additives business posted a 153-percent rise in fourth quarter operating profits to $17.4 million. The gains over Q4 2001 reflected increased plant throughput, reduced raw material and energy costs and cost saving...

Low permeation hose all round. (Rubber News).
March 1, 2003... Crompton Corp unit Davis Standard supplied two of the elastomer extrusion systems shown below to Boynton Beach, Florida-based United Forward Fluid Systems Inc. The machines will be used to make low-permeation hose for the automotive sector,...

ExxonMobil to stop DAE supply.(Distillate Aromatic Extract oils )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Machelen Belgium -- ExxonMobil has announced that it will stop supplying Distillate Aromatic Extract oils (DAEs) by the end of 2003. These oils were traditionally widely used as processing aids and extenders in the tyre and rubber sectors. ...

Lake wins UK R T Vanderbilt account: a two-year-old distribution company, Lake Chemicals & Minerals, has won the UK account for a well-known rubber chemicals supplier based on a new type of business model. Here ERJ describes the company's approach to the market. (Chemical distribution).
March 1, 2003... A relatively young distribution company has won the distribution account for R T Vanderbilt in the UK. The company, Lake Chemicals & Minerals, was set up at the end of 2001 to be a "professional" speciality chemicals distributor, according to...

Signs of slow recovery in machinery sector. (Machinery survey 2003).
March 1, 2003... After two successive years of decline in rubber machinery sales, ERJ's annual survey points to a slow recovery in 2003, with many of the companies who responded expecting to expand during the coming year. This, our 8th annual survey, shows...

Website addresses for machinery manufacturers. (Machinery survey 2003).(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2003... Instead of giving full contact details for all the companies listed here, we have chosen to give their web addresses. Where a company does not have a website, we have included a directory listing which gives address, phone number and other...

Rubber machinery listing 2003. (Machinery survey 2003).(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2003... This listing is based on data supplied by the companies themselves, and ERJ does not guarantee the accuracy of the data contained in the following listing. Nevertheless, we have done our best to ensure the data is accurate and reflects the size...

New fluoroelastomer from Dyneon. (Materials, reports, uses).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Fluoropolymer producer Dyneon has developed a fluoroelastomer grade which it claims offers faster curing and more versatility. Designated Fluoroelastomer MIP 8640X, the material can be easily injection moulded, despite having higher...

Margolis to issue elastomer study. (Materials, reports, uses).(Almost 6 million tonnes of elastomeric materials were consumed in North America in 2002)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Almost 6 million tonnes of elastomeric materials were consumed in North America in 2002, according to a recent report which claims to give detailed and comprehensive figures on the global growth markets for all types of elastomers. ...

New mould release for r-m bonded parts. (Materials, reports, uses).(Huron Technologies Inc. has developed a mould-release agent )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Huron Technologies Inc. has developed a mould-release agent which will, it claims, solves rubber-to-metal bonding problems. Designated EZR 302, the material minimises mould fouling which results in less cleaning and improved productivity,...

SBC use set to grow worldwide. (Materials, reports, uses).(styrenic block copolymers )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The global market for styrenic block copolymers (SBCs) is set for solid growth in the next few years, according to a recent study. The use of elastomeric SBCs--currently running at 826 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa)--is projected to grow at...

Polyisoprene glove gives improved fit. (Materials, reports, uses).(Regent Medical develops powder-free surgical glove )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Regent Medical, the medical gloves division of SSL International, has developed a powder-free surgical glove based on polyisoprene which, it claims, gives improved fit, feel and comfort. The new product, named Biogel Skinsense PI, will be...

Plug for ducts has integral valve. (Materials, reports, uses).(CSD International has developed a new sealing plug )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Dutch firm CSD International has developed a new sealing plug designed for use in ducts which carry communication cables laid below motorways and main roads. The valve allows testing to ensure the seal is working, says Aalten, The...

Azelis. (people).(Arnaud SA appoints Remi Magniere as its new president)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... ARNAUD SA, the French unit of chemicals distribution group AZELIS, has appointed Remi Magniere as its new president. Magniere took over 1 Feb from Jean-Marc Prouteau, who is retiring Magniere will also become a non-executive member of AZELIS...

Goodyear Dunlop BV. (people).(appointed Philippe Degeer general manager of its French subsidiary Goodyear Dunlop France)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... GOODYEAR DUNLOP BV has appointed Philippe Degeer general manager of its French subsidiary Goodyear Dunlop France, based in Paris. He was previously Goodyear Dunlop's sales director for the European Union market. Degeer replaces Sylvain Valensi,...

Sartomer. (people).(promoted Bin Wittig to business manager of its speciality polymers group.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Speciality chemicals supplier SARTOMER, a unit of petrochemicals group ATOFINA, based in Extort, Pennsylvania, has promoted Bin Wittig to business manager of its speciality polymers group. This group supports formulators in elastomers,...

Goodyear GB Ltd. (people).(managing director Bill Hall is to leave later in 2003 )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... At GOODYEAR GB LTD, managing director Bill Hall is to leave later in 2003 to work in a business consultancy run by his brother. Hall's role as MD will disappear under the company's strategic plan to integrate its operations into a single...

Kobelco Stewart Bolling. (people).(names Toshio (Tim) Yanagihara as the new president )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Toshio (Tim) Yanagihara is the new president of rubber and plastics machinery maker KOBELCO STEWART BOLLING of Hudson, Ohio. He was previously in charge of the Engineering Section of the Industrial Machinery Department at Kobe Steel Ltd in...

Wardwell Braiding Machine Co. (people).(appoints David Farnum as sales manager)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... David Farnum has been appointed sales manager at WARDWELL BRAIDING MACHINE CO. of Central Falls, Rhode Island. In his new role, Farnum will be responsible for all sales activity in North America and will manage the full range of customer...

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. (people).(John Holland has become a director )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... John Holland has become a director at COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO. Holland is chairman and ceo of Butler Manufacturing Co.

European car sales down three percent in 2002. (dataflow).(also car tire production, 1997-2002)(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... Information We present here a series of charts and tables which are meant to give a snapshot of how the rubber industry is performing. The price of rubber on the Singapore commodity exchange is possibly the most important price in the...

Diary.(Calendar)
March 1, 2003... Readers are strongly advised te confirm details with organisers before making any travel arrangements. An updated list of industry events is available on the ERJ website at http://www.crain.co.uk/ * ITRA Expo 2003 Date tba: Louisville,...

The distribution trade grows up. (postscript).
March 1, 2003... I have been wondering for some time what is going on in the chemical distribution business, and now, following a conversation with a new company, I think I am somewhere near an answer. The sector has been going through a great deal of...